As things stand now, President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) all support Senate passage of a comprehensive immigration bill before the end of May. So does the business community, most labor unions and religious organizations. Public opinion polls indicate that a majority of Americans would like to see a legalization program coupled with strong enforcement of our immigration laws.

Editor's Note: The bill before the Senate is far from perfect. It contains a number of virulently anti-immigrant provisions which should be removed from the legislation before the final vote.

So why isn't the enactment of such a law a fait accompli? Probably because a small, but extremely vocal, minority of our citizenry and their allies in the media and in Congress are busy trying their best to scare the living daylights out of Americans who are afraid that our country is being "invaded" by illegal aliens.
Make no mistake about it, this debate is about race, about prejudice and about fear of the foreigner. And truth be told, every new wave of immigration to the United States has always been accompanied by such fears.

Not long after the United States was founded, the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 were enacted for political purposes. See

Then, after the transcontinental railroad was completed due to the efforts of thousands of Chinese laborers, and Chinese men where being lynched in California for working for law wages, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 which effectively halted most Chinese immigration to the U.S. for over seventy years. See

After an influx of immigration from Southern, Central and Eastern Europe starting in the 1880s, a detailed study of the "immigration problem" ordered by the U. S. Senate and conducted under its auspices reported to the American people in 42 data-laden volumes in 1911. The Dillingham Commission (which included a number of professors from Ivy League Universities) took three years, employed a staff of 300, and spent a million dollars to develop a "Dictionary of Races," and to conclude that "the recent immigrants as a whole . . . present a higher percentage of inborn socially inadequate qualities than do the older stock." As a result, Congress passed the National Origins Act of 1921 and the Immigration Quota Act of 1924 which severely restricted the number of Italians, Jews and Poles who were permitted to enter the U.S. These acts also made Asians "racially ineligible" to become naturalized citizens of the U.S.
The Supreme Court of the United States in U.S. v. Bhagat Singh Thind, 261 U.S. 204 (1923), found that while Indians were indeed anthropologically Caucasian, the framers of the Constitution could never have intended letting them enter the country and be naturalized. Justice Sutherland stated that while "it may be true that the blond Scandinavian and the brown Hindu have a common ancestor in the dim reaches of antiquity, the average man knows perfectly well that there are unmistakable and profound differences between them today."

Again, in 1934, the Supreme Court interpreted the Naturalization Law of 1790 to define "white peoples within the meaning of the statute (as) members of the Caucasian race as defined in the understanding of the mass of men. The term excludes the Chinese, the Japanese, the Hindus, the American Indians, and the Filipinos."

Also, in 1934, to effectively stop Filipino immigration to the U.S., Congress passed the Tydings-McDuffie Act which reclassified Filipinos from U.S. nationals into "aliens" and capped the number of Filipinos eligible to immigrate to the U.S. at 50 per year. See

Today, Hispanics are the immigrant group being demonized. This is not a new phenomenon. Mexican agricultural laborers were brought into the U.S. under the inhumane and exploitive Bracero program from 1942 to 1964. See

At the same time, tens of thousands of Mexicans and their U.S. citizen children were deported from the United States under the infamous "Operation Wetback" program in the late 1940s and early 1950s. See

It is clear that race, religion and nationality have always figured prominently in U.S. immigration policy.

We hope that Congress will remain true to our nation's ideals and pass the comprehensive immigration reform bill now pending in the Senate. The sight of millions of people demonstrating in favor of the bill tomorrow may help our elected representatives see the light.

In response to the efforts of a radical fringe which would deny legalization to today's undocumented workers, we reply to them with the words of the man who became the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan:

"America stands unique in the world, the only country not founded on race, but on a way - an ideal. Not in spite of, but because of our polyglot background, we have had all the strength in the world. This is the American way."

As things stand now, President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) all support Senate passage of a comprehensive immigration bill before the end of May. So does the business community, most labor unions and religious organizations. Public opinion polls indicate that a majority of Americans would like to see a legalization program coupled with strong enforcement of our immigration laws.

Editor's Note: The bill before the Senate is far from perfect. It contains a number of virulently anti-immigrant provisions which should be removed from the legislation before the final vote.

So why isn't the enactment of such a law a fait accompli? Probably because a small, but extremely vocal, minority of our citizenry and their allies in the media and in Congress are busy trying their best to scare the living daylights out of Americans who are afraid that our country is being "invaded" by illegal aliens.
Make no mistake about it, this debate is about race, about prejudice and about fear of the foreigner. And truth be told, every new wave of immigration to the United States has always been accompanied by such fears.

Not long after the United States was founded, the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 were enacted for political purposes. See

Then, after the transcontinental railroad was completed due to the efforts of thousands of Chinese laborers, and Chinese men where being lynched in California for working for law wages, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 which effectively halted most Chinese immigration to the U.S. for over seventy years. See

After an influx of immigration from Southern, Central and Eastern Europe starting in the 1880s, a detailed study of the "immigration problem" ordered by the U. S. Senate and conducted under its auspices reported to the American people in 42 data-laden volumes in 1911. The Dillingham Commission (which included a number of professors from Ivy League Universities) took three years, employed a staff of 300, and spent a million dollars to develop a "Dictionary of Races," and to conclude that "the recent immigrants as a whole . . . present a higher percentage of inborn socially inadequate qualities than do the older stock." As a result, Congress passed the National Origins Act of 1921 and the Immigration Quota Act of 1924 which severely restricted the number of Italians, Jews and Poles who were permitted to enter the U.S. These acts also made Asians "racially ineligible" to become naturalized citizens of the U.S.
The Supreme Court of the United States in U.S. v. Bhagat Singh Thind, 261 U.S. 204 (1923), found that while Indians were indeed anthropologically Caucasian, the framers of the Constitution could never have intended letting them enter the country and be naturalized. Justice Sutherland stated that while "it may be true that the blond Scandinavian and the brown Hindu have a common ancestor in the dim reaches of antiquity, the average man knows perfectly well that there are unmistakable and profound differences between them today."

Again, in 1934, the Supreme Court interpreted the Naturalization Law of 1790 to define "white peoples within the meaning of the statute (as) members of the Caucasian race as defined in the understanding of the mass of men. The term excludes the Chinese, the Japanese, the Hindus, the American Indians, and the Filipinos."

Also, in 1934, to effectively stop Filipino immigration to the U.S., Congress passed the Tydings-McDuffie Act which reclassified Filipinos from U.S. nationals into "aliens" and capped the number of Filipinos eligible to immigrate to the U.S. at 50 per year. See

Today, Hispanics are the immigrant group being demonized. This is not a new phenomenon. Mexican agricultural laborers were brought into the U.S. under the inhumane and exploitive Bracero program from 1942 to 1964. See

At the same time, tens of thousands of Mexicans and their U.S. citizen children were deported from the United States under the infamous "Operation Wetback" program in the late 1940s and early 1950s. See

It is clear that race, religion and nationality have always figured prominently in U.S. immigration policy.

We hope that Congress will remain true to our nation's ideals and pass the comprehensive immigration reform bill now pending in the Senate. The sight of millions of people demonstrating in favor of the bill tomorrow may help our elected representatives see the light.

In response to the efforts of a radical fringe which would deny legalization to today's undocumented workers, we reply to them with the words of the man who became the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan:

"America stands unique in the world, the only country not founded on race, but on a way - an ideal. Not in spite of, but because of our polyglot background, we have had all the strength in the world. This is the American way."

Comprehensive reform will happen,but not the way your thinking. It will first start with securing the borders and not giving tourist visas out anymore. Then all Illegals and their families will be required to go back home. once their just the worker can apply for a 2 year guest worker visa. Americans support this program for the agriculture and farm work. The worker would be legal and can send his money back home to support his family. This is the way it will happen.It would solve the problem of illegals in our schools,hospitals,and welfare .

Actually, no one can say what will exactly happen - if we could do so then we would simply buy $$$mega-million lottery and live happily ever-after

But here are my thoughts , some repeatedly voiced in past.

So far it appears that my judgement was the most accurate of all on this board.

___________________________________________

Antifascist1
Posted April 27, 2006 10:55 AM

It seems like the Senate is close to passing Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill, including Guest Worker program and path to Citizenship for some illegal immigrants.

However, even if such legislation is passed by Senate, it will either be eliminated during House-Senate talks or else House won't agree to passage of any Bill.
Considering the importance of passing Immigration Bill this year, it is likely that Senate, in last minute, will yield a compromise that will:

1. Eliminate participation of illegals in Guest Worker program.

House MAY (?) agree to allow some illegals to leave the country and apply from abroad, but it still remains a big question if House will accept even that.

2. The felony charges for illegal presence will be lowered to misdemeanor charges.

3. The least controversial part - Border and Interior Enforcement - is likely to pass both Chambers without any problem.

4. In terms of raising Immigrant Quotas I would expect the House to oppose such measure on the grounds of "Let us first eliminate illegal immigrants and then we will talk about raising quotas" (Meaning "We hope quota will never be increased").

Overall, what I predicted almost a year ago fairly reflects what is to be expected now.

Good Luck,

IE

____________________________________

ImmortalE
Posted July 10, 2005 02:58 PM

Personally, when thinking and meditating, when imagining and envisioning the entire political process in my mind..
well, first I study and analyze as much data from as many sources as possible.. then try to see the streams, waves, forces, directions, energy and inertia of each and etc..
Just like in Physics..

Many moves and outcomes in Politics (like everywhere else) are dictated/nesessiated by invisible but powerful forces and laws of physics.
And those are very complex laws: fuzzy logic and chaos theory are as much part of it as the Newtonian laws.
Then there is a mystery of Bell..))

Anyway, at present time there is no such pressing nesessity for legalization/guest worker program, as you noted.
It is still being debated ,though recently it was debated very intensively in Times, Washington Post and other major papers.
Usually, before any major step is taken it is widely debated in media.

But.. To be absolutely honest..
If my judgement doesn't fail me, if all the past and pressent patterns are to be relied upon, I would suggest that before inevitable liberalization of immigration takes place, there will be an extreme intolerance and targeted enforcement of immigration law against 'undocumenteds'.
I repeatedly said this in past.

It's what I would call a "wave thing".

No argument or logic at present can persuade people like Rep. Tancredo that it is not in the interest of Public of America to do as he wishes.
Only after millions and may be billions of dollars wasted, hundreds of thousand of immigrant families separated and detroyed, single parents and parentless US Citizen children left behind, businesses lost, hardships caused..
only THEN there will be a loud public outcry and demand that the remaining aliens be given a chance to become a LEGAL part of this Society.

This is what I project, based on my knowledge and analysis of past.
As history shows, people 'en mass' never act reasonably, but always obey the physical laws of momentary nesessity.. [/quote]

____________________________________

ImmortalE
Posted August 04, 2005 02:49 PM

..2. Note:
2006 is Congressional Election year.
Before CE(Congr. Elections) they may talk a lot but may not want to vote "because of upcoming elections" )), then, once elections are over, the issue will suddenly become irrelevant..))
Isn't it Great?! ))

3. Conservative Senator Cornyn so far seems to be one of the most dedicated to this issue, and, not surprisingly, is the one who has the broadest picture of REALITY
(as a former Judge, who prior to that must have been an Attorney..someone who sees the picture from ALL different angles, understands overall DYNAMICS AND (REALISTIC) POSSIBILITY(!) OF PASSING ONE OR ANOTHER PROPOSAL).

4. Rep. Senator Spencer A., Head of Judiciary Committee, is also very broad-minded Senator, who seems to be really interested in pushing the agenda.

But Sornyn or Specter alone can't push the Bill through both chambers of Congress....

5. McCain-Kennedy Bill is too generous and THEREFORE useless: it will NOT pass (under CURRENT circumstances) , not in Senate and most certainly NOT in House..

6. House Immigration Caucus is very aggressively minded against any Guest Worker proposal that would allow legalization of anyone who is illegally present in US today.
House leadership is also not very enthusiastic about voting on any such proposal.

7. President Bush seems to be the only one who could push the tip of the weight one or another way..
But then, how likely is He to push for Guest Worker Program NOW?
After recess Bolton nomination, after winning hard fought, key economic and other legislation,
with important Supreme Court nominations looming, with need for Social Security reform...
He very much now depends on unity of GOP ( and owes to it too!), and any strong pro-immigration push on His part is likely to divide GOP and frustrate some..

8. Immigration, as much as media mentions it, is not on the TOP of National agenda.
Mainstream America is still very recentful of being "too generous for too long" in recent past..
and it's such a cycle, such a tide that can't be turned back overnight..
People view ALL "Illegal Immigrants" as ones who dwell in Paradise without invitation and steal quality of life and jobs from average Americans too...

9. "Common Sense" is not the passion of times like ours...

10. ......

So, as you see, it's all about forces of circumstances and nesessity..like in physics, as I said before...there are forces and laws operating in Politics that are far beyond any single man's will or intention..
Surprisingly, no one seems to realize it..))

Anyway, my personal projection, as I said it many times before:

1. Only Enforcement Provisions of any Bill
can pass in near future..
Which means: there are very harsh times ahead for Illegal Immigrants..
hundreds of thousands will be caught
and expeditiously deported, families separated,
hardships caused to economy ( high cost of apprehension, detention, deportation, higher risk and consequently cost of hiring "illegals"), hardships to Immigrants and Citizens alike...

2. This Policy, in the end, will ultimately fail.
With all the high cost and high levels of deportation, still many more "undocumenteds" will remain, further straining the budget (also lowering effectiveness of Justice Department in apprehending those who pose
REAL threat to Society...)
Hardships caused to US Citizen Children and Permanent Resident families separated from each other will be too great to ignore.
Despite all the hardships, very few people
will voluntarily leave the country..
There will be a mess and media will report it.

3. Finally, voice of like Senator Cornyn will be heard and listened to.
It's even possible then that there will be very strong push to pass something much more generous than could be passed today.. soemthing like Sen. Kennedy-McCain Bill that seems so unrealistic today.

Different forces and circumstances will play in, and most anti-immigrantionists will deeply regret that they missed a chance to pass much more limited and restrictive, Sen. Cornyn-Kyl kind of Guest Worker Proposal....

Years will pass before it all happens...though I can't tell you exactly how long.. (cause there is always "Unpredictability Factor" that can either accelerate or decelerate these processes..)

But it could take somewhere from 1.5-2 years (VERY accelerated process..in case if some favorable "Unpredictability Factor" kicks in) all the way to 5-7 years (or even more, in case of major, unfavorable "UF") years before this issue is brought to rest...

My Best Wishes and
Good luck to ALL!

_______________________________________

Antifascist1 .
Posted May 02, 2006 04:31 PM

Amnesty, in the long run, is inevitable.
Just as increased level of enforcements in the near future.